Space Race 2016!

ESK Yarnathon 2016

Eat.sleep.knit has outdone themselves this year with a SPACE theme! I went from being a Fleecy Fox to a StarSheep (which thankfully matches my Ravelry handle of "firesheep67!"). Now, instead of running a race measured in kilometers and yards, you reach planets. I'm already up to the Sun (welcome packet level) from participating in the weekly trivia questions (ten per quarter, 50 yards credit per), the first KAL (Spiral Cowl - January) and one purchase.

Last year, I reached the Gold level in the Boosterclub (which, as I mentioned last time, functions like badges one would earn in the Girl Scouts). Last year's Gold level prize options included a year of free shipping, which is what I chose. So, for all of 2016, I have free shipping. Could prove to be good or bad, time will tell! Without free shipping, I've been tempted to fill my cart to get free shipping (which means, buying $100 at a time)... with free shipping, I'm thinking more along the lines of project oriented purchases, so my first purchase of the year was needles that I didn't have and two skeins of Madeline Tosh Dandelion in Farmhouse White for DrawingStraws. I don't intend to abuse the free shipping (just read on Ravelry that some people would buy skeins of yarn, in the store, one at a time to get one lotto ticket per purchase - that's outrageous and sad!).

I also am still a member of the 10k club (once you're in, you're a member for life). This year, 10k club members get two lotto tickets per order, which is supremely awesome!

The yarnathon offers a little of everything to all who participate - not only do you have the camaraderie of your team, but also the fun of KALs, and sense of accomplishment from earning the badges which can help you stay out of a project rut and encourage you to try new things or approach your knitting from another perspective. I have to admit, I love a good prize and the badge system has really served to keep me engaged and motivated! This year, one of the Gold level prize options will be the sling style tote bag (image on the middle lower right) which I earned last year for Silver. This bag is just brilliant (hope to copy the shape and sew my own some day!) It will be offered in a different color, which remains to be revealed.

There's another aspect to the Yarnathon, which is earning stars for your team - this can be done through a combination of activities, from KAL participation, to earning badges in the Boosterclub to making purchases. So, once again, ESK offers a way to let you play along without always having to buy more, which is quite generous of them! At the end of the year, members of the team with the most stars will all receive a store credit.

Even if you have an awesome LYS, let ESK fill in the gaps! No one yarn store can be everything for everybody, which is why ESK will always be one of my long-distance LYSs!

ESK Yarnathon

I've bought yarn from ESK on and off starting in 2010 when I first learned of the "mad"ness that is Madeline Tosh yarn. Back then, finding a good supply of the various colorways in MadTosh was challenging and ESK most certainly had one of, if not THE largest, selections. One year, I made it into the 10k club, after which I became a lifetime member, which means: I have special access to sales announcements, can log on one hour earlier for Black Friday, and just recently the Sunday Stash (one yarn, offered at an extra 15% discount).

ESK continues to be one of my favorite online LYSs. From the speedy shipping, to the added bonus of the Yarnathon, to the wonderful Yarn Lotto tickets (one is included in each order and you can win up to $100 store credit, among other things) - it's truly a fun, although virtual (for me, in California), LYS. I've won a $50 store credit, and just recently $20. Quite often, I picked up $5 store credits here and there, which I saved and sent in together. (You do have to physically send in the tickets to redeem them.)

This is the second year that the Yarnathon has assigned me to a team. First year, I was a Stitchosaur and this year, I'm a Fleecy Fox. Last year, I didn't participate. I started on one of the KALs (New to you), but just lost interest. This year, I followed along for a bit and answered most of the weekly trivia questions (which earn you 50 yards per question, 10 questions per quarter) and then really found myself drawn to earning the badges - especially to reach the silver level and earn the tote bag. Once I saw the tote bag prize, I found myself obsessed with it! So, rather late in the year, I'm now throwing most (if not all) of my knitting effort into EARNING SILVER!

Best of all, even if you are cutting back on buying yarn, you can still have fun in the Yarnathon and help out your team - so there's something for everyone, no matter what stage of yarn acquisition you're in. (Note: the team assignments are random.)

ESK Ravelry Group
Silver Level Prize not my photo - the prize is the tote bag pictured along with the pins/badges earned to date

A wearable muslin!!! Go me!

Finally! Going to wear this to tonight's Seam Allowance meeting. Thoughts off the top of my head:
1. Neckline - do a different one from the Craftsy course or elsewhere
2. Vented sleeves...needed to hem at the top of the vent - hemmed too close to the sleeve edge. The bar tack is sloppy - not even on both sides and is ultimately too long. Used Swedish tracking paper under the bar tacks for reinforcement. Need to study how to figure out bar tack placement.
3. Top stitching around the armholes is a tad inconsistent and wonky.
4. Underarm doesn't meet perfectly on one side (but it's in the armpit, so who will know?)
5. When I was sewing this up - I noticed that my cutting of the fabric was CHOPPY! Ugh! Need to go back to the pattern and ensure that the seams match up - and smooth this out on the next version.
6. LOVE the length!
7. Pattern fits me quite well and love the vented sleeve detail, even if the execution leaves something to be desired.

I'm holding up bits of fabric that I trimmed from the shirt.   Could still use a few passes on the inside, but wanted to eat some lunch and get on the road.

I will update this post with linkage and details on the pattern later.

muslin time *sigh*

muslin time, originally uploaded by firesheep67.

Thoughts while I worked on muslin #1:
1. The fabric is plasticky and see through - this is not a wearable muslin, why am I still reluctant to write on it?
2.  Must find better way of sewing knits. Tested straight stitch and pulled seams. They all popped. Switched to zig zag, but was too big, so could see "teeth" in the seams.
3. Stick to using the walking foot. Use the more narrow twin needle (must find the sizes). The wider twin needle created a huge tunnel between the stitches.
4. Neckline - while I did an impressive* job of stitching and easing, it was too tight for the design, so in the end, both fronts are pulling the side seams in. I examined a garment that is similar and the neckline is not a separate piece, it's just folded over and stitched down with presumably an elastic tape inside.

Muslin #2:
1. Will use a 1" seam on the neckline, folded over at 1/2" with elastic tape inside.
2. Front panel must be hemmed before sewing side seams.
3. Finish watching The Ultimate T-Shirt: Fitting & Construction on Craftsy and put the tips and tricks to use. Just watching how the knit fabric can be fed through the sewing machine with minimal use of pins has already helped enormously. Considering that the Ottobre pattern directions are minimalist, it's really good to bone up on how to construct a knit t-shirt. Even though this garment is a wrap front, 90% of the sewing tips and instructions still apply. I got my class on sale and it came with a pattern, Vogue 8793, which I have yet to take out of the envelope.
4. Will baste the side seams before final sewing. Very important when trying to get the wrap tight enough to cross over without gaping, but not so tight that it pulls the sides in.
5. I started cutting muslin #2 on Sunday, 7/28, but after I cut the back, I realized that I already didn't follow my own modified directions - that is, to include a 1" seam allowance on the neckline. Hope that there's enough fabric to cut a sleeve from the back. Also realized that my rotary cutting technique could use some improvement, so off to search for tips. Must also change the blade on the cutter. Don't know how long the blade has been on there, and technically haven't cut much with it, but think it might be a bit dull.
6. Before sewing, need to do another clean out of the sewing machine. While sewing muslin #1, the machine coughed up a greasy lint hairball which was subsequently sewn down into the sleeve seam. I have no idea where it came from, as I had recently cleaned (as far as I know) everything out. Very strange. Thank god the muslin wasn't anything I had hoped to wear. Will also see if I can clean the grease spot, for science. Just in case it happens when I'm sewing my good fabric.
7. Hemming of sleeves and bottom - not until side seams are sewn up. Follow the tips in the class re: pressing the hems while still flat.

Thoughts on muslins in general: apparently Kenneth King states that you should sew at least two muslins before proceding to cut the fashion fabric. Reluctantly, I concede that this makes perfect sense. If you want something truly wearable, you must put in the time and effort to do it right. Think about it - you pull a pattern from the envelope, and regardless of how close it may be to your measurements, more likely than not, it wasn't custom drafted for you. You'll need to make fitting alterations and perhaps even figure out how best to sew it - thus muslin #1. But, after figuring out what to keep and what to change, including order of construction, you should test the next round on muslin #2. You don't know what the outcome of the changes from muslin #1 are going to give you. Only after sewing a successful, i.e. potentially wearable muslin #2, can you proceed with confidence to the final garment. Thank god I really am a process sewer (knitter) or I would have already torn out every last strand of my short hair in frustration!

*I don't normally brag about my sewing...but considering I only watched the Ultimate T-Shirt video and had never sewn a neckline, and that this is my fifth garment (including muslins), the neckline looks awesome.

The siren of advertising calling across the years (Viking)

viking sewing machine ad 1956, originally uploaded by firesheep67.

I came across this ad online in the last year (and if you're the one who posted it, please let me know so I can give you credit!). Since it can be hard to read depending on your monitor and eyesight, I will take the liberty of retyping the ad before I comment...

Text from the ad:

Just sit, set and let VIKING sew!

NOW!

Viking

the world's most completely jam proof automatic sewing machines

Viking the world's most completely automatic sewing machine, is also the easiest to use! Made of fine Swedish Steel by the craftsmen of Sweden's celebrated Husqvarna, where superior engineering has been a tradition for over 250 years! VIKING is a real automatic!

Just sit, set and let VIKING sew with an ease you've never before known!

See it today!

Try it today!

VIKING automatic features you'll love...

• exclusive JAM-PROOF HOOK makes it absolutely impossible for the thread to tangle or jam with or without fabric in the machine.
• exclusive MAGI-STAC permits you to change stitches with a flick of the fingers without stopping the machine! 
• exclusive SPEED REDUCER for s-l-o-w sewing when working on intricate patterns.

plus...20 more features never before offered in any one machine!

I LOVE a good ad! Even better I love to dissect the messages long after the target audience is no longer around. This ad is so good, that 57 years later, I still fall for it. Granted, I didn't see the ad until AFTER I found my Viking 21A, but boy, this ad makes me want to use my vintage machine more than any other I own. First off, according to the copy, my machine will sew by itself - no need for me to do anything other than watch it (like a TV?). One thing that still holds true to this day is the lure of the JAM-PROOF HOOK! That's actually what drove me into the arms of a vintage machine. I wasn't sewing on my Brother because of bobbin nesting. I spent more time angry and frustrated and troubleshooting rather than sewing. The JAM-PROOF HOOK promised salvation, and it has delivered, I'm happy to report :) The copy for the MAGI-STAC is hilarious. The "magi-stac" is now commonly referred to as a pattern cam, and I most certainly would not "change stitches with the flick of a finger" while the machine was going. (Mostly out of fear that I'll break an internal part that is NLA - no longer available.) The "exclusive SPEED REDUCER" is nice, but I rarely use it as I prefer to control sewing speed with the remarkably still responsive original controller. Note that "Swedish Steel" is capitalized...it's not just any steel. I'm not sure what the "20 more features" could be...hmmm...it's green (no - the Elna Grasshopper is green, and I suppose color is not considered a feature). Free-arm must be one...detachable sewing table...as for the rest? Being of Swedish descent and a huge Abba fan, Viking is my brand.

I will admit to cheating on my Viking 21A...with another Viking (a pair of them) - the Viking #1. Because of course, being #1 means it has to be even better than 21, right? ;)

Hemming and hawing

seam allowance year one, originally uploaded by firesheep67.

It's no secret that I'm slow. I've come to accept it (must be why I loved driving fast on the Autobahn). When it comes to sewing (and knitting, cross stitching, embroidery and crochet...) I am deliberate and fairly methodical. "Fairly" because in many other areas of life, developing a methodical approach has not come naturally. When I sew, I like to think of the act of sewing as an organic chemistry experiment. So, in that spirit, I am tackling the hem on my wrap skirt.

Update on the skirt: I "finished" it - that is, everything is sewn together and there is the beginning of a hem. I even wore it to last night's Seam Allowance meeting. Yet, the waistband ties need a touch of resewing to neaten up the seam on the edge and the hem is not yet done. I think I will add a hook and bar closure to secure the waist, as the ties can worm themselves undone. I had to admit that the piece I wanted to be the back (that is, the original front), insisted on being the front, so I am wrapping the skirt to the back and tying it almost in the middle on the front. To really turn the skirt around, the waistband pieces for the ties would need to be lengthened before cutting so you can tie on the side. I folded under the hem and pressed at 1/4" with the Dritz Ezy Hem. It took a while to neatly and evenly press the hem (30 minutes?). I was aiming for the 1/8" edge stitching recommended by Doris Anderson in Lesson 7 of "Simplified Systems of Sewing." I stitched the hem at 1/8", but was working with the 1/4", which I will trim down before the final hemming.

Which leads me to...the final hem. I actually like the current length, but originally had intended on a hem of 1.5 inches or so. Also, the current hem provides no heft, but I think if I want to leave it at this length, a woven ribbon or hem tape secured by hand stitching over the raw edge could help with that. So, I am now researching hemming techniques.

Thanks Beadknit for the photo!

Tracing and cutting (avoiding the waist on my wrap skirt)

I can't resist the promise of Ottobre magazine. I have all but three (?) issues and am convinced that the garments are flattering and must be easy to sew. So I started tracing the wrap blouse from the Fall 2008 magazine, model #17, at yesterday's Seam Allowance studio time. I finished the tracing today and started cutting the fabric for a muslin. I've had the fabric for about five years, purchased from FabricMart for practically nothing. Well, this was before I started carefully bagging each piece of fabric and this one has tiny marks that look like ink spots. Fortunately, the yardage is sufficient and I can simply cut around the spots.
 
This is the fabric in question...it's quite slippery and when cut, sheds tiny fibers everywhere. I figure if I can sew a muslin from this, then the final garment will be a breeze.

Action shot

action shot, originally uploaded by firesheep67.

Rather than making a second muslin or ripping and reassembling the first, I decided based on where the side seams fall, to eliminate 1" from the front panel (which I will deliberately use as the back) - thus 1/2" from each side and I lengthened the skirt by 1 3/4". I made these modifications to the tissue pattern and gasp! cut the fabric on 6/29, in my last class of the latest five class run at SM&D. No turning back now...  

At first I thought I would attempt to match the pattern at the seams, but come on, this is such a minor concern with a huge pattern and since this will officially be my first wearable garment, I just threw caution to the wind. As I was packing up the pieces I so carefully cut out, I was dismayed to see that I now have a large target on my butt (center of the back panel). Just what I had hoped to avoid. Thank god it's not on my crotch...I can just hear Michael Kors now! 

Fabric is Kaffe Fassett Targets - Pastel - still available here. (I bought this four or even five years ago.)

back in the saddle

back in the saddle, originally uploaded by firesheep67.

Finally liberated the patterns from this book, the Sew Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp, that I bought about five years ago...decided I would make the wrap skirt and the muslin is well under way this weekend, yet I am supremely annoyed at the directions for the waistband. Let's just say that they are sketchy at best and the tiny diagrams that accompany the text are fairly worthless.

As I am still puzzling my way through the instructions, I'm not yet ready to post my solution, so watch this space!

ETA: It dawned on me that despite reading the directions several times...in my mind, the single panel (front) was the BACK, because, who wraps a skirt to the back?? Even though the book says you can mix it up by wearing it wrapped to the front or back, I would never wear a wrap skirt with the wrapped panels covering the rear view. Subsequently, when I sewed on the waistband, I'm pretty sure I attached it upside down, which would explain why it was virtually impossible to cleanly match the side seams of the skirt panels with the side seams of the waistband.

Marking a path

Lisette souvenir in progress, originally uploaded by firesheep67.

I went to my first sewing class at Stonemountain and Daughter in Berkeley this weekend. The instructor immediately figured out why my muslin didn't fit through the shoulders; I needed to remove about 1.5 inches from the center top of the front yoke (which would not have occured to me). On to cutting the "fashion fabric," a blue-grey cotton voile from Freespirit, purchased at AVFKW. I pinned what I could in class, took it all home, finished the pinning and then cut everything on Sunday. I have yet to transfer the markings, as I am not sure which method to go with. To test the white Chacopy, I made a few marks on a piece of scrap fabric which I then washed by hand with Fels Naptha soap. I can still see one of the marks - although, it's quite faint and it was the heaviest mark I made. I need to do more tests before I commit. Will try the water soluble marker (but it's blue, so I don't expect it to be easy to see) and the other Chacopy (pink) as well as the Dritz white tailor's chalk. In the end, I only need to make marks for where the yoke joins the sleeves (circles) and where to gather the front. Perhaps I'll just thread trace my way. In the meantime, I am not to sew the garment until the next class. Strange how being "forbidden" to work on it makes me feel impatient to sew!

More on this garment in an upcoming post.

Ambition

Imagine this in red leather...(image from HP site)

Hot Patterns 1118

Now that I've sewn my first muslin, I'm dreaming of a red leather jacket. There's an enormous gap between the current level of my sewing skills and experience and my ambition. How did I come to fixate on a red leather jacket as a future project? Let's trace the steps...

Yesterday, I (for the second time) stumbled across the Selfish Seamstress's blog and was admiring her leggings/pants here. Then I wondered about stretch leather. Poked around on the internet. Circled back to Gorgeous Fabrics where I came across this lambskin. Suggested pattern was Hot Patterns 1118, Metropolitan Agostini Moto Jacket. As I'm not a fan of "natural" colors and the quantity of skins in stock would have made a size that is too small for me, I didn't remotely entertain buying these skins. BUT the pattern really struck a chord. I kept thinking of it. Later in the evening, I deliberately went back to the Selfish Seamstress, intending to catch up on past posts. Was reminded of Fabric Mart Fabrics and went there to look for leather. At first I found some black lambskin and I thought of buying it to make the jacket. Then it occurred to me that I don't really need to replace my black leather jacket (but it could use a re-dye). When I looked at the black leather skins, I saw that they came in red too. A deep, bluish red. My favorite kind. There were only three in stock. I popped them in the cart (along with two other cuts of fabric), fought with myself about how ridiculous it is to buy leather for a project that I'm not yet capable of sewing, then I viewed current leather jackets for sale online, closed the computer and immediately went to bed.

Today, on my way in to work, the universe was tempting me with that same red along with jackets in that style. I logged back into Fabric Mart Fabrics, rebuilt my shopping cart, looked for discount coupons, found one and checked out. That's it.

I now have a wardrobe of unsewn and unknit projects. Pants, shirts, sweaters, socks, coats, and even potential underwear. The only supplies I lack are to make bras (which I hope to tackle using makebra.com).

I've wondered over the years where my ambition went - it's there and wants to make a comeback in the form of creating my own wardrobe, on my terms. Even if only to experience the pleasure of wearing garments that fit, the way I want them to, in fabrics of my choosing - it's a healthy way to welcome home my wayward ambition. I can learn to sew leather!! (But will first go through MANY muslins...as I am a cautious type!)

Lisette Souvenir Muslin

, originally uploaded by firesheep67.

I FINALLY started sewing! It only took me approximately FOUR years. This weekend I traced off the Lisette blouse pattern onto Swedish tracing paper, then pinned out my traced pattern pieces to the muslin, cut, and then tried to transfer the markings. First I wanted to use the Dritz paper (must look up the name), but after owning it for approximately four years, it doesn't seem to work (or I was using it wrong). So I moved on to the Clover Chacopy, which worked fine, but may not be appropriate for the final version of the blouse.

In the end, I got a muslin, albeit with not enough sleeve cap. I was able to figure out what I did wrong by studying some close-ups online. Essentially, I sewed the bias tape too far from the sleeve cap, then I trimmed 3/8" off the seam allowance, and then I proceeded to wrap the edge of the sleeve with the bias tape. WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!

What I should have done was...(at step 10 I believe):
1. stitch the sleeve cap to the bias tape (right side to right side, using a 3/8" seam allowance
2. press the seam as written
3. trim the seam as written
4. stitch along the BIAS tape side edge (just like the inside edge of the yoke), through the seam
5. then stitch 1/2" in, along the sleeve cap, through the folded over bias tape, so that the bias tape is stabilizing the sleeve cap - NOT seen from the outside of the sleeve

Since I didn't do this, I ended up cutting away the two circles, that are to be matched up when joining the sleeves to the yokes, and I was short approximately 3/8" of an inch where the sleeves meet the yoke - which you can clearly see in the photo.

Next step is to cut two new sleeves, stitch them up and then check the sleeve cap fit. I get the impression that the sleeve cap is a bit too puffy for me and I most likely need to alter it. I also left this muslin unhemmed. Think I want to curve the hem, as I don't like the boxy look. Finally, I may alter the sleeve cuffs and put a small slit in them.

Although I used the machine for the gathering stitches, on the final version, I will do this by hand to get a smoother, more fluid look. I also think this blouse is begging for embroidery on the yoke, but will do this on V2. Right now I just want to have a wearable garment. I'm spending time on sewing the muslin "correctly" because until now, most of the sewing I've done has just been practice bits, not an actual garment. I need to master the techniques, so will (for now) sew up the muslins with (almost) the same level of care I would use for the final garments.

Is this thing still on?

I joined Seam Allowance at A Verb for Keeping Warm and I've been using Ravelry to log my activity thus far, but think I should step it up and dust off this blog :)

You can't be serious!

My idiotic neighbors apparently felt the dryer wasn't getting hot enough to dry a week's worth of clothing at a time, so they added a dryer with no vent. Needless to say, I called the landlord to report this fire hazard and if I don't hear from him or see some action by tomorrow, my next call will be to the fire marshall. How stupid can you be? Let the neighbors cram the dryer into their living space and endanger themselves. ARRRGGGHHH!

Fujitsu Uncover the Possibilities

Why post this? Well, I've been a Fujitsu fan for years, starting with the P2040 and temporarily ending with the T4215. I say temporarily because my husband knocked tea into it, killing the machine. Sadly, it's not paid off! And the replacement machine, an HP TouchSmart tx2 is just not the same... :(

Birthday Resolutions 2009

Yesterday was my birthday and rather than having new year's resolutions, I thought this year I'd set birthday resolutions. Here we go!

1. Surroundings: By next year - have apartment decluttered and MOVE OUT ready!
Why? Our place may be small and falling apart (landlord doesn't believe in maintenance), but that doesn't mean we have to live in squalor. The other day, DH said he did everything possible to keep the Animal Control person from entering the apartment because he was embarrassed, and I completely understand.
I have a vision of owning a home with a garden. A home where DH can cook, I can knit and sew with room to work and we have a garden to enjoy. Room to breathe!


2. Finances: Set up rapid debt repayment program (RDRP) and buy LESS
Why? After I was laid off, I lived off of the severance pay, tax returns, inheritance from MIL and cash advances on my credit cards. I had been paying down the cards before the layoff, but once I was no longer working I felt like all my efforts had been in vain and I foolishly racked up even more debt than I previously had. WTF?
As for buying less, I have all the tools and supplies I could possible want. I need to use them up or purge. There's no reason for me to own everything that catches my eye.

3. Learning: My time - listen to Japanese tapes,listen to Russian podcasts
On the job: 30 minutes every day for various software/hardware (Sharepoint, Indesign, Illustrator, Acrobat, Blackberry) and 15 minutes every day to read executive/administrative assisting blogs

4. Create: Knit, sew, cross stitch, crochet! Do something every day.

5. Relationships: Take advantage of 9/80 Fridays and go on a day trip with DH (every other Friday). Return calls/emails/text messages - make the effort to stay in touch with friends and family.

The Worst Job I Ever Had

On the heels of reading other people's tales of woe, I thought I'd write up "my worst job." I believe it would be the week I spent staring at a blank wall cold calling people to subscribe to the LA Times. Occasionally I would hook a live one, and inevitably they lived in a rural area, where delivery wasn't available...and never would be. Excitedly they'd ask if delivery was now possible to their address in bum f*ck Egypt and dejectedly I'd answer, "No." Others would stay on the line long enough for me to pitch them from my long list of "reasons why one should subscribe." Way at the end of that list was the question, "Do you own a bird? Use the paper to line the birdcage." I'm certain I didn't sell a single subscription and picking up the phone to make those calls got harder and harder until I quit at the end of one week.

Could this be why I hate using the phone?

Destashing - Yarn and My Life!

Recently I took the plunge and decided which yarns I could part with. Yesterday I sent off the first two boxes. I was having second thoughts about one, the Boysenberry London Tweed, after seeing one of Svetlana's latest creations. There, was, however, no way I would knit up all the London Tweed in my stash. And certainly no way I could tackle the sweater that Svetlana knit (Forestry - last sweater in the post linked to above). I'm a self-taught knitter (books and magazines) who, so far, has been able to knit the patterns I've taken a fancy to, but who also realizes when a pattern is above my current skill level (or beyond my patience and sustained attention). I consciously choose to work on patterns that I know I can knit now, while queuing up others that I will be able to knit at a later date. E.g. the latest IK cover sweater (Spring 2009) - I read through the instructions and couldn't quite envision what one needs to do to knit this sweater, so as much as I like the sweater, it has to wait.

So, rather than overwhelming myself with yarns I MUST knit up, I decided to let go of a few. It's rather strange to package up these yarns - yarns I couldn't wait to order, couldn't wait to swatch as soon as they arrived - and send them on to their new homes, new dreams, new projects. But OTOH I can't wait to see what they end up becoming...

The destashing of yarn will soon extend to my stuff. Stuff that fills every corner of this 450 square foot apartment and the garage below. Starting small...with some magazines and books on eBay. Then branching out into Craigslist, Freecycle, the library and then onto the Goodwill/Salvation Army. I did it once before (from the same apartment). Back at the end of 2002, I got the contents of the full garage down to a 6 foot by 3 foot stack of boxes. I vow this time NOT to let so much stuff* back into my life.

*Stuff: Clothing I no longer wear, books I read and never let go of, multiples (several bluetooth headsets, several cell phones), Elliptical trainer (used for one week...at most), half-used toiletries, old linen, old files, miscellaneous doo-dads and knick-knacks...and on and on...ugh! =:P

Apartment 2.0

My (our) ideal apartment will have:
1. Separate mailbox
2. Off-street, covered parking
3. Address properly marked
4. Utilities included or separate meter
5. Insulation
6. Real windows that DON'T LEAK!
7. Intact roof - no leaking
8. No vermin burrowing around in the walls
9. Gutters and/or canopy over the door
10. Real door - i.e. can't open it with a swift, well-placed kick
11. Laundry
12. Range hood
13. Bedroom closet
14. Linen closet
15. Hallway closet
16. Stable floors - i.e. whole apartment doesn't sway when stepping on certain spots
17. Balcony, space to garden in or BOTH!! =:)
18. Place to air dry clothing (should I so desire)
19. No a$$hole neighbors

As I think of more, I'll update the list above. Want to seize our ideal apartment when it presents itself, so I want to know what we're looking for!

The Typhoid Mary Touch...with Magazines

Let me tally up the magazines I once subscribed to that went belly up (and some never returned my money!) - updated 2.22.09

Craft Magazine -> not officially belly up, but going to digital only. Bummer. I like having an actual magazine. =:(
Organize -> nice, but mostly a vehicle to sell more product. (Aren't all magazines about the ads?)
Domino -> who knew that one of the few I decided NOT to renew would go belly up shortly afterward? (One could argue that my not renewing contributed to the downfall, but I will not take the blame. Domino had become nothing but another, "Let's let at the lifestyles of pretty, Hollywood people!!" Uh, no thanks.)
Yahoo! Internet Life -> (believe I never saw my money again)
Motto -> remaining issues converted to Ode, haven't read a single issue since I started receiving. They're now imploring me to renew.
Blueprint -> remaining issues converted to Martha Stewart Living. I enjoyed MSL, but ended up not subscribing. Felt too inferior. Have saved some recipes and ideas from the mag though.
O at Home -> come on, Oprah, are you going to roll over my $ to extend my sub to Oprah mag? (Also just re-upped my subscription literally the day AFTER the internets were abuzz that the magazine was to cease publication. I have great timing!!)
Got an offer...to roll my remaining issues over to Oprah mag (as if I don't subscribe already). Obviously, the subscription department hasn't figured out who was subscribing to both or they simply sent the same card to everyone. Must ensure that the credit will be rolled over so I don't end up with two copies of Oprah for the next however many months.
Adorn -> according to the rumours on the internets this was to be converted to a Knit.1 subscription, but didn't hear anything. Going to check in on this one. I certainly got ripped off, since I had just started the subscription, only to hear that the magazine was DOA.
PC Magazine-> they've gone digital and I let my subscription lapse. The only case where the end of the printed publication coincided with my payment (or lack thereof). I'm not a fan of digital magazines. I've tried many of them; none compare to the dead tree version. And I want to save the planet as much as the next guy...
Quick & Easy Stitch & Craft (a British Cross Stitch mag) -> converted to You Can Craft! Sad. I let that subscription limp to an end. You Can Craft! is for cardmaking with no cross stitch to speak of. I'm not interested in cardmaking, unless it's to mount a small cross stitch project. *sigh*

I'm sure there are others...this list is by no means complete.